More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic cycle storage system comprising:                a plurality of cycles (e.g. bicycles), each of which carries a blocking device and an electronic circuit;        at least one cycle storage area serving to receive the cycles while they are not being used; and        at least one control device adapted to authorize, selectively, cycles to be borrowed from the storage area.        
Such a cycle storage system can be used, for example to make cycles available to the public, subject to the person who is borrowing the cycle being identified, and optionally subject to a rental being paid at a control terminal post.
Document EP-A-0 875 867 describes an example of such a cycle storage system in which the cycles are locked by means of their blocking devices co-operating with stationary lock stations disposed on the public thoroughfare.
Unfortunately, that known cycle storage system suffers from the drawback of cluttering up the public thoroughfare with its cycle storage stations. That drawback becomes prohibitive if it is to desired to be able to store a large number of cycles in the same storage area, since the amount of space required by the system then becomes very large (see, for example, FIG. 2 in the above-mentioned document).